Improvement in tug-links



W. P. RILEY. Tug-Link.

No. 200,803. Patented Feb. 26, 1878.

/r e2 j JZ' W- wmf@ N.F|'ERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON` CUNII'nn-Srnrns PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAMP. RILEY, OF WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF HISRIGHT TO THOMAS MAITLAND, OF SAME PLACE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 200,803, datedFebruary 26, 1878; application led 4January 26, 1878.

To allfwhom it may concern:

Beit known that'I, WILLIAM P. RILEY, of Williamsport, in the county ofLycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Tug-Links; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full andr exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object I have in view is to produce an elastic tug-link which willbe cheap, durable, and efficient.

My invention therein consists, first, in the employment, within acylindrical shell, of broad and at interlocking draft-links and acylindrical spring inclosed by such links; second,

in the peculiar construction of the draft-links to adapt them for usewith a cylindrical spring; and, further, in the elastic tug-link, theparts of which are constructed and arranged as fully hereinafterexplained.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the tug-link; Fig. 2, alongitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3, a perspective view of thedevice with the shell and heads removed; Fig. 4, a separate View of oneof the draft-links, and Fig. 5 a separate view of one of the heads.

Like letters denote corresponding parts.

A represents the shell or case of the tuglink, which is made ofcylindrical form, with open ends, and is of requisite size to inclosethe parts of the device. This shell is constructed of wrought or castiron or brass, and, since it is subjected in use to very little, if any,strain, as will be soon explained, it can be made very light and quiteinexpensive. B B' are two draft-links, working within the shell, andacting in opposite directions upon the inclosed cylindrical spring C.Each of these links is, preferably, made of a single l piece ofstrap-metal, doubled on itself in parallel lines, and closed together ata point near one end to form an eye, a., extending from the shoulders alto the end of the link. Below the shoulders al the sides a2 of the linkare parallel, or nearly so,and are, preferably, made slightly concave,to Vfit closely and smoothly between the cylin'drical shell andsimilarlyshaped spring. The ends of the strap forming each link are bentat right angles to the sides, overlapped, and secured together, thusclosing the end of the link. This end a3 of each link is, preferably,enlarged into a circular form, so as to make a bearing-surface for thespring of the same size as the end of such spring. Before the second ofthe two draft-links is closed at its end a3 the links are interlocked orlinked together in the manner shown, so that the sides and the eye a ofone link stand at right angles to those of the other link. Between theends a3 of these draftlinks is placed the cylindrical spring C. Thisspring is, preferably, a spiral metallic spring, but may be constructedof rubber or other suitable elastic material, and is of such size as toiit closely between the sides a2 of the links, as shown in Figs. 3 and4. Into the ends ofthe shell A are tted heads D D of metal. Each head(shown in detail in Fig. 5) has a shoulder, b, which rests on thecircular end of the shell, and keeps the head in place, while onopposite sides the heads are cut away to form slot-s b', which allow thesides of the draft-links to play` freely through the ends of the shell.These heads are inserted into the ends of the shell, under the shouldersal, and, when the parts are in place, the shoulders are ldrawn by thespring close against the outer faces of the heads. One or more screws,c, are tapped through each end of the shell into the heads, by whichthey are held in place.

In use, my link is supported in the line of draft by the eyes a, whichreceive the strain, and transmit it from one to the other through theinclosed spring, thus lessening the jar both upon the horse and thevehicle being drawn; and, although especially designed for use uponheavy wagons, the link can also be employed, without chan ge ofconstruction, with street-cars or other vehicles.

My tug-link, it will be seen, is very compact and light; and, inaddition, since vthe strain is entirely upon the draft-links, and notupon the heads of the shell, as in tug-links where the spring pressesdirectly against one of the heads, the device is not so liable to getout of order, and the parts are not jammed together by use, so that theshell cannot be opened to replace the spring when required.

As a modication of my device, I have designed, instead of securing theheads in the ends of the cylindrical shell by means of the screws ctapped through the sides of the shell, to pass abolt, E, (shown indotted lines in Fig. 2,) longitudinally through the center of the shell,and centrally through the heads D D', with a head upon one end and ascrewthread on the other end, to receive a nut, or both ends may bescrew-threaded. By these means the heads D D' can be made quite thin, soas to lessen the weight of the device, and they Will be securely held inposition by the bolt Without interfering at all with the operation ofthe parts. With this manner of securing the heads, I prefer to make theeyes a in the form shown in dotted lines at the lefthand side of Fig. 2.

Having thus fully described my tug-link and explained some of itsadvantages, I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by LettersPatent- 1. The combination, with the cylindrical shell, of the broad andiiat draft-links B B', and a single cylindrical spring inclosed by suchdraft-links, substantially as described.

2. In a tug-link, the draft-links B B', havin g eyes a, concave parallelsides a', and ends c3, in combination With the cylindrical springWILLIAM P. RILEY.

Witnesses:

JOHN RILEY, M. L. CLAY.

